Casino workers call for improvements to social security scheme

The Power of the Macao Gaming Association, whose founding members include lawmaker José Pereira Coutinho and Rita Santos, is urging gaming operators to improve employees’ social security contributions, while also calling for the implementation of a full smoking ban inside casinos next year.
In a press conference held yesterday at the Macau Civil Servants Association (ATFPM) premises, members of the association advocated for improvements to casino workers’ social security regime. “Currently, gaming concessionaires are paying social security contributions (five percent) on behalf of their employees, and the employees pay another five percent. This contribution is insufficient to protect these employees once they retire and need to ensure the stability of their households,” Mr Coutinho explained.
“Even though casino revenue dropped, operators are still making a profit, so we need further guarantees for our pension schemes,” said the president of the Power of the Macao Gaming Association, Stephen Lau.
The group hopes that casino operators can increase the value of their social security contributions, which are paid on the behalf of employees, from five to ten percent.
The association is also calling for the payment of a shift premium to all casino workers, and an annual salary increase.
Gaming revenue dropped for the tenth consecutive month in March, and the Power of Macao Gaming Association claimed that several workers have been recently receiving letters of warning. They fear that these letters might be used at a later stage to fire employees.
The implementation of a full smoking ban is another priority for this new association, which was established in December last year. Choi Chi Kin, another member, reasoned that, “a full smoking ban should be implemented next year, otherwise the Macau government will have to deal with public health issues later on.”
Lawmaker Coutinho added that the casino workers’ association is calling for the implementation of a full smoking ban as of January 1 next year, as “[smoking] has brought several health problems to those working inside VIP rooms.”    Despite expressing several concerns over Macau’s gaming industry, the Power of the Macao Gaming Association and ATFPM
will not join May Day protests, Mr Coutinho confirmed.
“ATFPM is not participating, but we support those taking part and [understand] their concerns,” the lawmaker said, adding that they have not encountered issues in communicating with the government lately. “We take to the streets when we have strong reasons (…) a protest should have concrete results and should be held when other options [to communicate with the government] have been exhausted,” he recalled.
Pereira Coutinho, however, said that he will personally be joining the May Day march on Friday in order to talk to protestors and to gain an understanding of their demands.

Recently established association

The Power of Macao Gaming Association was established last December and comprises about 1,122 members. Lawmaker Coutinho and the former deputy secretary-general of the permanent secretariat of Forum Macau, Rita Santos, are among the founding members.

Coutinho submits Trade Union Bill to AL

Pereira Coutinho yesterday announced that he has submitted a draft of the Trade Union Bill to the Legislative Assembly (AL) for the sixth time. Last year in April, his fifth attempt to convince fellow lawmakers to pass a bill regulating trade unions failed. On the sidelines of a press conference held at the Macau Civil Servants Association, Mr Coutinho revealed that he’s already been promoting the draft bill, and will continue lobbying, especially now that May Day approaches.
“The drafted bill was already submitted to the AL… I think more lawmakers will be voting in favor of this bill, because there have been many changes lately and we’re approaching the AL’s next election in 2017,” he acknowledged.
Furthermore, he pointed out that with seven appointed lawmakers in the AL, “the government has a moral obligation to tell them to vote in favor of our bill.”
Last year, the bill submitted by Mr Coutinho and his fellow lawmaker Leong Veng Chai was vetoed, with several legislators first indicating support for the legislation but later deciding to vote against it due to the lack of consultation.
Some lawmakers even said that they were suspicious of the motives behind introducing such a bill, claiming that it was intended to stir up disputes.